Monica Attard


Monica Ann Attard OAM is an Australian journalist and academic.

Early life

Attard was born in Sydney, where she was educated at Bethlehem College, Ashfield. She attended the University of Sydney, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts. She also holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales, which she attained in 2002.

Career

Attard's career in journalism began at Channel Seven, where she was a reporter from 1977–1981. From 1981–82, she worked for 2WS Radio and at 2GB Radio from 1982–83. In 1983, Attard moved to the ABC, where she has remained since.
Attard worked on ABC Radio News from 1983–85 and reporter on ABC Radio programs 'The World Today' and 'PM' from 1985–88. She was a researcher for TV programs 'Four Corners' from 1988–99 and a reporter for 'Lateline' from 1989–90.
Attard was Russian Correspondent for ABC Radio and TV from 1990–94. She received three Walkley Awards during this period, including the Gold Walkley in 1991. Attard published a book entitled Russia: Which Way Paradise? in 1997, which documented some of her experiences and interactions with Russians during a period of rapid change.
Attard returned to 'The World Today' from 1997–99 and to 'PM' from 1994–97.
During 2001–03 and 2005–06, Attard was the national presenter on 'Sunday Profile' on ABC Local Radio. In the same year, she received the 2002 Walkley Award for Broadcast Interviewing, and graduated with a law degree from the University of New South Wales.
On 1 December 2005, Attard received the 2005 Walkley Award for Broadcast Interviewing. This was given for a series of interviews entitled On The Brink, which aimed to examine the lives of several prominent people who had been experiencing some kind of upheaval in their lives. She interviewed NSW magistrate Pat O'Shane, former HIH Insurance director Rodney Adler and Douglas Wood, a former hostage in Iraq. Her interview with Rodney Adler was a scoop and she received particular praise from the Walkley judges.
On 6 December 2005, Attard was announced as the new host of the ABC TV program Media Watch for 2006. She hosted Media Watch for two years, until announcing her retirement at the end of the 2007 series, citing the "extremely taxing" nature of making the program as well as radio presenting commitments.
Attard also worked as a lawyer for Coudert Bros in Moscow from 2003-04. She was the founding editor of The Global Mail for a few months in early 2012.
In June 2016 Attard was appointed head of journalism at Macleay College and took up the position in September that year. Her appointment as Professor and Head of Journalism at the UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences was announced in February 2018. She will replace Peter Fray in July 2018.
In 2019, Attard was a judge for the 2019 Voyager Media Awards in New Zealand.

Awards and honours